Savannah City Council members are calling for revisions to the city’s travel policy and tighter fiscal oversight of travel expenses.

Their action followed a morning workshop session in which City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney defended some of her travel procedures but also vowed that she would do a better job with reporting her expenses and submitting reports in the five days required under current city policy.

“This is a responsibility I have, and I will do a much better job,” she said. “My executive assistant is not to blame. That is something I can do better.”

Council members asked questions of the city manager during an open meeting, then later convened in a closed session to deliberate. Mayor Edna Jackson said council had instructed the city manager to adhere to the travel policy as written and to review and update the policy as may be required.

“We will further address this item on the next agenda,” the mayor said.

During discussion, several council members agreed the city should raise the $35-a-day per diem for meals and incidentals for employees, but later said that decision would be up to the city manager. Council also thought that, in fairness, greater reimbursements should be extended to employees who have special dietary needs. Small-Toney explained some of her receipts were to meet her special dietary needs due to a diagnosed medical condition. Allowing additional expenses for dietary needs is not in the city’s written travel policy, and the city manager explained that was something that was worked out when she came to the city as an assistant city manager.

The city manager disputes that she received a per diem and reimbursement for meals, saying the cost for extra food was subtracted from her per diem. If she spent less than she was advanced, she returned extra money, she said.

Aldermen Tom Bordeaux, Tony Thomas, Mayor Pro Tem Van Johnson and Alderwomen Mary Ellen Sprague and Carol Bell asked several questions about the city manager not following policy by turning in reports months late, not always submitting final bills and questioned whether renting an SUV was the most efficient means of travel.

Thomas said not submitting final bills raised serious concerns, which were further substantiated after Chief Financial Officer Dick Evans said other employees have been allowed to submit credit card statements instead of final bills.

“These issues have raised that flag that this is going on,” Thomas said. “I see this as a wake-up call.”

Alderwoman Estella Shabazz offered the most vocal support for the city manager. She blasted the newspaper for writing about the travel reports and suggested that no other city manager had faced the scrutiny Small-Toney has.

Shabazz volunteered that she was one of the council members who in January had ridden a shuttle van a half-block between the Atlanta Hyatt and the restaurant Ray’s in the City. The city reimbursed Small-Toney $150 for the van based on a handwritten note turned in four months after the trip.

“I don’t care if it was two feet away,” Shabazz said. “It was late at night, it was cold, there was a steep hill ... I thank you so much city manager for what you did.”

The city manager said that in addition to the weather and the steep hill, there also were concerns about crime in the area. Small-Toney followed a concierge’s recommendation, she said, that a shuttle van was the best way to get the party of 15 to the restaurant.

“I made that decision and I stand by that decision,” she said.

The bill for dinner at Ray’s, according to the city manager’s travel report, was more than $800.

Bordeaux, who was not on the trip, defended the public’s right to question whether their tax dollars are “being spent legally or wisely.”

City staff on Thursday presented a line-item entry on a city ledger to show that the city manager had repaid the city for a $100 entry fee into a golf tournament on an April trip. No copy of a receipt of the check was in her travel file, as other check receipts were, and neither the city manager nor any city staff provided documentation of the check when repeatedly asked for it previously.

The line-item ledger shows she repaid the city on May 16, the same day she wrote a memo to council explaining that the Morning News had asked to review some of her travel expenses. In her memo, she stated she had refunded the city the money.

She has not refunded, and council has not asked her to, the $254 it cost her to stay another night in a Virginia Beach hotel to play in the tournament.

“My support for you is very, very intact,” Osborne said. “I don’t consider you anyone who wants to take anything from this city.”

Shabazz added her support, saying, “I believe you are an upright person who looks after the betterment of our city.”

In other action:

• Council agreed to study proposed revisions to its animal ordinance that would make it easier to declare a dog potentially dangerous.

• Delayed until Sept. 6 a vote to approve a $279,500 study of three cruise ship sides. Bordeaux, Bell and Shabazz said they wanted more time to review the initial feasibility study before voting. A workshop session is planned.

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Alderwoman Estella Shabazz offered the most vocal support for the city manager. She blasted the newspaper for writing about the travel reports and suggested that no other city manager had faced the scrutiny Small-Toney has. So she should have free reign to do as she pleases? No suprises there Mrs. Black Panther.

“I don’t care if it was two feet away,” Shabazz said. “It was late at night, it was cold, there was a steep hill ... I thank you so much city manager for what you did.” No mention that it was across the street. Steep hill you say? Lol another liar. Go figure. Go watch this Shabazz and then say that again: http://savannahnow.com/latest-news/2012-08-23/video-see-routes-between-a... Curious she didn't mention rain though isn't it.......

800 divided by 15 = $53.50 per person. Not exactly within their per diem now is it?

Mary Osborne is a person of real integrity with her $50,000.00 payout. The best thing she should do in matter of honesty and accountability when it comes to a closed door decison is shut up.

Estella Shabazz just got there and is foolish enough to open her mouth when there are NO RECEIPTS.

Not only that she's married to black panther /county commissioner so things are real cozy for her dipping in on both ends, the city and county per diems.

I'd suck up too if I thought the fairy tale of living the high life on the backs of tax payers and getting away with it was in my future. I sure wouldn't want to cut my own throat and miss out on a chance to ride in a LIMO and eat at Ray's in Atlanta.

The rest of them act like scared rabbits to challenge these people. I wouldn't be sitting in some kind of staged Mickey Mouse Q & A in the first place.

My word would have been on Sunday, "Show up Thursday with all the receipts or don't bother coming back to work."

The H.R. Department should have been reviewing, updating, revising and approving "all" Polices & Procedures each year and signing off on each and every one of them !!! Why is Savannah so far behind time ?? Just another excuse for a cover up ?? Some people will do anything for a $800 dinner paid for by the hard working tax payers of Savannah !!! Plus the cost of a van !! For $190K a year she could have bought a van. Sounds like RST is so poor that she is scraping nickles.

Why does the Savannah city government stay in a perpetual state of learn as we go. This business of using ignorance as an excuse is getting old. Every time one or more of these , so called, city leaders gets caught with their pants down, we get to watch a re-run of "Who knew?" - nobody had a clear understanding of the policy for closed door meetings, nobody knew what the policy was on a bond for the city mgr., and now nobody has a clear understanding of the travel and per diem policy. They will ask a few questions, act concerned on behalf of their constituents and pass along some criticism. Then they will adjourn to one those secretive closed door sessions, after which, they will announce the same tired resolution - we are going to forge a new policy and commit to doing better in the future, now let's move on. absolutely no accountability.
I work for a small company and travel a couple of times a year. Expense reports with original receipts are filed in a timely manner and they have to reflect a common sense approach to conducting business. I'm pretty certain that if I turned in a hand written receipt or spent $800 on a rental car, the owners would refuse reimbursement and want to have me drug tested. The city mgr. has, on more than one occasion, touted her professionalism and commitment to the job. There is no way she thought any of this was right. It was not an isolated incident or something simply overlooked. She was exploiting a part of the system she thought she had complete control of and, I bet if you looked hard enough, there's a similar pattern in other areas of her job performance.

Next time you're in Atlanta, let Mr, Polote and those Atlanta Contractors pick up the tab for your $800 dinners and the LIMO too. They can all afford it with that 21 million dollar TAX PAYER Funded contract you helped them land.

There's a lot more just below the surface than refusing to hand over receipts under public scrutinty which explains why no one simply asked the most important question, "Where's the receipts, we can end this right now, just hand them over."

You'd better hurry up and close the deal on that old golf course property that was used as a landfill for spite.

January is right around the corner and there's going to be more to worry about than covering up whatever it is that took place up in Virginia Beach.

giving her a pass because they ALL are doing the same thing. How many times do I have to tell you, if you live in Savannah, MOVE! Let that 20% poverty rate turn into 100% and then there will be no more taxpayer's money to steal.

"Mayor Edna Jackson said council had instructed the city manager to adhere to the travel policy as written and to review and update the policy as may be required." but RST stated in her guest column "I will point out, however, that this is an internal policy and not a city ordinance." as if to infer she has done nothing wrong! Then the mayor instructs RST to amend and update the policy...really?

Mary O and Dr Shabby are 100% in support of RST. Mary has over
50,000 reasons to be supportive, and with Hurricane Issac on the
horizon, maybe a chance to go back for some more dollars. The good Doctor says the limo ride was worth it if it "was only for 2 feet".
Sounds like the 2 feet may be in her mouth.
Get ready for the next Workshop. An all expense paid 7 day cruise
with special dietary buffets. This will help our leaders evaluate the
Savannah cruise ship question.

Pretty much as I expected, the outcome never in doubt and the watchers were entertained. Clowncil in the end did exactly what we thought they would do; if there is any TRANSPARENCY to this bunch it is that they are very easy to see through, even when you can't see what they do behind closed doors. And, as predicted, they have simply decided to move on.

"Let's Move On" is the mantra of this regime. So I suggest that we make it ours as well, and by that I mean two things: either we move to a recall election and get rid of them now as opposed to three years from now or we sell our houses and move out of town, realizing that it isn't going to get any better anytime soon. Otherwise, we're going to be wasting a tremendous amount of our time, energy and resources closing the door after the RV has been stolen. And as a parting shot, I wish Lesley Conn well in her new position covering Farms and Gardens.

I like your ideas on both counts. However, I expect that this particular episode will not carry the day at the polls and that far more might be accomplished if we took to the streets old school style with placards and chants. The chamber of commerce would be banging on the mayor's door in light speed time demanding that action be taken lest we scare off the tourist that really makes our clock tick. Now, when and where do we stage this rally and who should head it up? Should we call for an open meeting somewhere to get the ball rolling?

I just read the "proclamation" from her highness, Ms. Smalls and now I am convinced we are dealing with the village idiot! Perhaps what you are claiming might be right, but it smells bad and looks even worst! First off, everyone is very busy and the excuse of "when I return I am snowed" is garbage. Lady, you applied for the job and took it ( with complimentary champagne glasses I might add ) with smiles and laughter. Now you complain of the work load? What did you think it was, a 9 to 5 job? Can you not work from home a few hours each week...at night..or on the weekend as normal people do? Or is a gov't job JUST 9 to 5 with two hour lunches? I still remember the questions of your finances when it was discovered that you were not ( and could not secure ) a bond for your work. that was a HUGE red flag and one that our illustrious city council should have "stopped the music" on and taken a very hard look at you. However, in the unbridled passion to get someone who "looked like Otis", they went full steam ahead and rushed a "phony bond paper" in the air and proclaimed you "whole". In the military service ( to which you could not or chose not to join ), there is a leadership dictum that all officers ( and nco's ) who are somewhat decent in their assigned task adhere to....what is good for the lower ranks applies to the higher ranks. If the food/facilities are good enough for the "enlisted personnel" , then they are good enough for the officers and NCO's. Cold water showers for the troops,; bet your rear the officer / nco who values his position and leadership and cares for his troops is getting the same cold water shower! Perhaps a good course / manual in leadership might be the bedtime reading you should seek. And to the city council, all I have to say is "chickens--ts". You all had a grand opportunity to stand up and admonish her but instead you chose to "stand behind the "sister" and commend her. I ( along with many others ) will remember this come election time. In the meanwhile, I suggest when we see her highness, Ms. Smalls, we ignore her, turn our backs to her, and politely make life difficult for her..as well as uncomfortable.

By the way, if you are that sick that you cannot walk 300 feet in the rain with an umbrella to eat, perhaps you are too sick to work, to travel, and to play golf!!!! Health issues my foot, more like lazy and overweight!!!

According to the rules of reimbursement a person has five days after a trip to turn in receipts. These are written, and if the taxpayers know these, the City Clowncil should. There are no rules to made up by Clowncil as one sees fit. These are our laws and rules, not to be bent because of skin color.

If our so-called CM can't find enough hours to work, she should stop going to forums in Virginia. She should stay in Savannah and do what she was hired to do. She should not charge the taxpayers for her personal hobbies such as illegal forum dues. Am I wrong ?

Rochelle obviously has visions of self-grandeur and a tremendous sense of entitlement and cannot stand to be second guessed by anyone. After all, she is the Gumby of Savannah (I am Gumby, damn it!!!) Her coverup explanation is riddled with holes and she is an outright liar (steep hill in Atlanta my arse...I watched Walter Jones video).....however, the City of Savannah is stuck to this tarbaby of a city manager and I doubt it will get any better......I hope Otis Johnson is pleased with himself and I bet Don Mendonsa is spinning in in his grave....and the City Council and Mayor Jackson have become the laughing stock of the State.

Rochelle obviously has visions of self-grandeur and a tremendous sense of entitlement and cannot stand to be second guessed by anyone. After all, she is the Gumby of Savannah (I am Gumby, damn it!!!) Her coverup explanation is riddled with holes and she is an outright liar (steep hill in Atlanta my arse...I watched Walter Jones video).....however, the City of Savannah is stuck to this tarbaby of a city manager and I doubt it will get any better......I hope Otis Johnson is pleased with himself and I bet Don Mendonsa is spinning in in his grave....and the City Council and Mayor Jackson have become the laughing stock of the State.

So she waits months before she gives back the money? Or does she give the overage back within 5 days? I don't think it has anything to do with her being too busy; it has everything to do with, "if the citizens knew, how we spent the money they would be raising eyebrows."
What irritates me the most is, she and her backers think we the people are below her, and we the people are idiots.

Look, I think this poor woman deserves a bigger food allowance, look at her for pity's sake...she is just wasting away, she needs to get some meat on them bones, so I would suggest a $50 per day per diem to cover snacks, drive thru meals and a constant supply of her favorite sugar ladened beverage.

The Hyatt bar is serving up a new specialty drink called the RST.
It's expensive, costing $150 per glass, but it's so strong you will not be able to walk across the street. Don't worry about a receipt, we trust you.

Just a word of thanks for exposing the corruption that takes place on Savannah's "City Clowncil". My original terminology by the way.

I know you work hard to report the stealing and "closed door " sessions that happen with regularity. I know and understand how frustrated you must be. Sadly enough, I can see no end to the madness. Part of me is amazed at the arrogance displayed by the leaderless group, while another side to me cringes at the thought of the "voting public", that just doesn't give a damn what the clowncil does with taxpayer money. They will go right back out and vote to put these bozos back in to continue their pilfering.

I've asked myself a thousand times how "voters", continue to vote for tax hikes, and elect officials who answer to no one. Yet the "voter", doesn't seem to mind, they just mindlessly pull the lever for individuals who couldn't care less for their constituent's welfare.

So I have come to the blatant conclusion that as long as every person who turns 18 is given the privilege to vote, this corruption will not cease. If one doesn't own property, or is not in the service, or can't list the three branchs of government, then why on earth would they be given a vote that can and does bring serious consequences?

I'm afraid America is nothing more than the Titanic, and it makes me ill to watch. We, like the Titanic, are out of lifeboats.

The only way for proper justice in these financial matters are to move the affairs to another court. So long as RST and M. Osborne are only judged by city officials (their cronies), they have no repercussions to fear. The only way for true justice is:

A lawsuit from taxpaying citizens (not welfare recipents), but find an out-of-town lawyer because nobody locally has the guts to take on the city government.

A lawsuit from the fired employees at SEDA, pointing out how they were disciplined for $160 of mis-appropriations, while the City Manager was far more irresponsible with her spending.

Ask to know the benefits for the citizens of the membership funds for any professional networking organization that requires dues that are city-paid.

Otherwise, quit whining on this board. The city governement is just laughing at these comments, because in two days, they will be gone. Take action, leave Savannah, or just prepare for a lifetime of this behavior.

She may be a little "Mitt Romneyish" when it comes to firing people and might not be the best with keeping up with reciepts; but when it comes to mangaing the budget she's kept the City of Savannah in the black (financially speaking no pun intended). An $8.4 million dollar surplus in an economic environment that has left many cities in the region broke is impressive. It seems that you all would take this into some consideration when judging her. Cut the sista some slack. People aren't perfect! Except for all you haters of course:-)

You really think she was the reason of the $8.4M surplus or was it taxes put in place prior to her arrival? One good deed does not excuse poor judgement, especially if she disciplined others for the same reason.

I challenge RST to find a real honest-to-goodness City Manager in Savannah, GA. Does anyone wonder why she left Charlottesville?
If this is best that Savannah can find, then the public administration career field is wide open for new talent. Mayor Jackson and Ms. Shabazz, talking about any previous bad acts does not excuse current bad acts and her poor performance as City Manager. Over the years Savannah as gone down, down, down with the image that is projected out of the city and out of the state.

It is obvious and proven that her performance is equal to or less than those that she fired or ran off. There is certainly a double standard that RST is held too as opposed to other employees.
All that leads to the question on why her current and past performance has not caused personnel policy changes possibly her dismissal. If she were white I would expect no less. The city has has the 'Fox' watching the hen house.

Why is she still employed? Is it because she is black? Is it because she is a female? Is because she is female and black? Because the mayor is black and the majority of the council is black? Is this a case of FUBU? Race relations will never improve in Savannah until the color of one's skin is not the reason why something is done for or against anyone. When that is reality, most will be good in Savannh.

I challenge RST to find a real honest-to-goodness City Manager in Savannah, GA. Does anyone wonder why she left Charlottesville?
If this is best that Savannah can find, then the public administration career field is wide open for new talent. Mayor Jackson and Ms. Shabazz, talking about any previous bad acts does not excuse current bad acts and her poor performance as City Manager. Over the years Savannah as gone down, down, down with the image that is projected out of the city and out of the state.

It is obvious and proven that her performance is equal to or less than those that she fired or ran off. There is certainly a double standard that RST is held too as opposed to other employees.
All that leads to the question on why her current and past performance has not caused personnel policy changes possibly her dismissal. If she were white I would expect no less. The city has has the 'Fox' watching the hen house.

Why is she still employed? Is it because she is black? Is it because she is a female? Is because she is female and black? Because the mayor is black and the majority of the council is black? Is this a case of FUBU? Race relations will never improve in Savannah until the color of one's skin is not the reason why something is done for or against anyone. When that is reality, most will be good in Savannh.

I challenge RST to find a real honest-to-goodness City Manager in Savannah, GA. Does anyone wonder why she left Charlottesville?
If this is best that Savannah can find, then the public administration career field is wide open for new talent. Mayor Jackson and Ms. Shabazz, talking about any previous bad acts does not excuse current bad acts and her poor performance as City Manager. Over the years Savannah as gone down, down, down with the image that is projected out of the city and out of the state.

It is obvious and proven that her performance is equal to or less than those that she fired or ran off. There is certainly a double standard that RST is held too as opposed to other employees.
All that leads to the question on why her current and past performance has not caused personnel policy changes possibly her dismissal. If she were white I would expect no less. The city has has the 'Fox' watching the hen house.

Why is she still employed? Is it because she is black? Is it because she is a female? Is because she is female and black? Because the mayor is black and the majority of the council is black? Is this a case of FUBU? Race relations will never improve in Savannah until the color of one's skin is not the reason why something is done for or against anyone. When that is reality, most will be good in Savannh.

Anyone every thought about passing this info onto say Fox News? With the current waste attributed to the GSA, this might actually get some attention. If the city council hates anything, it's embarrassing negative publicity.

That is what this boils down to. It is not only Ms. Small-Toney that displays it either. The council members that believe the per diem food allowance should be raised, even for a City Manager who is being paid $190,000 a year, display arrogance. Seriously, if you can't eat on $35.00 a day, then make up the difference yourself. You're getting paid six figures for heaven's sake.

For the far lower paid employee, yes, that is a low per diem that could be increased a bit. But for the City Manager, its fine. In fact, it is generous.

Arrogance is Ms. Shabazz saying "I don't care if it was 2 feet!" You might not care Ms. Shabazz, but some people in Savannah might. Perhaps you think you're entitled to a rickshaw also, to cart you around from office to office?

Arrogance is the Mayor taking the matter to Executive session. Hiding the discussion from the public is arrogant Ms. Mayor. When people are accused of abusing the privileges of their governmental position, it is of paramount importance that the people see the investigative process in its entirety. That way they might be assured that the Council and the Mayor have taken the matter seriously and are not merely covering up for a fellow offiicial.

I don't know if this paper could manage it or would want to do it, but publishing a compilation of the salaries and expenses of the Mayor, the City Manager, each member of the Council, and every department head for the City of Savannah, annually, would be a great service. So would providing links within the story for each person's expense reports. I am sure the City could post up such a guide, but I have a suspicion that info is not something they would like to be readily available in one place. :-)